huff
1 of 2verb
ˈhəf 
huffed; huffing; huffs
intransitive verb
1
a
: to emit puffs (as of breath or steam)
b
: to proceed with labored breathing
huffed up to the peak
2
a
: to make empty threats : bluster
b
: to react or behave indignantly
transitive verb
1
archaic : to treat with contempt
2
: to make angry
3
: to utter with indignation or scorn
4
: to inhale (noxious fumes) through the mouth for the euphoric effect produced by the inhalant
huff
2 of 2noun
: a usually peevish and transitory spell of anger or resentment
quit in a huff
Synonyms
Verb
- bluster
- fulminate
- rant
- rave
- spout
Noun
- dither
- fluster
- fret
- fuss
- lather
- pother
- stew
- sweat
- swelter
- swivet
- tizzy
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb “The project is a complete waste of time,” she huffed. demanding to speak to the manager, he huffed about the rudeness of the sales assistant Noun was in a huff because everyone was running late and the school bus would stop to pick them up in a matter of minutes gets all in a huff every time anyone makes the slightest criticism
Recent Examples on the Web
Bon Appétit, 24 May 2022 There's little to huff and puff about on the mostly level ride with some fun ups and downs and no leg burning climbs. Flip Putthoff, Arkansas Online, 21 Dec. 2021 Ecomodernists huff loudly at claims that any kind of economic downshift—planned or unplanned—can result in anything but a drastic deterioration in human welfare. Mary L. Trump, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2021 Ecomodernists huff loudly at claims that any kind of economic downshift—planned or unplanned—can result in anything but a drastic deterioration in human welfare. Mary L. Trump, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2021 Ecomodernists huff loudly at claims that any kind of economic downshift—planned or unplanned—can result in anything but a drastic deterioration in human welfare. Mary L. Trump, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2021 Ecomodernists huff loudly at claims that any kind of economic downshift—planned or unplanned—can result in anything but a drastic deterioration in human welfare. Mary L. Trump, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2021 Ecomodernists huff loudly at claims that any kind of economic downshift—planned or unplanned—can result in anything but a drastic deterioration in human welfare. Mary L. Trump, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2021 Ecomodernists huff loudly at claims that any kind of economic downshift—planned or unplanned—can result in anything but a drastic deterioration in human welfare. Mary L. Trump, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2021 Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Oct. 2021 No threat of eviction Just beyond the limits of the Durango park, a train slices through the mountain view with a harmonic huff. Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Jan. 2022 Then a few more, closer each time, and finally a loud huff just beyond the nylon walls of the tent. Washington Post, 9 Dec. 2021 Franzen, child of Western Springs, chronicler of contemporary America, Exhibit A of the Great White Male American Novelist (circa 2021), reflexively detested, never arrives on the page now without a huff, a herald or a hand-wringing. Christopher Borrelli, chicagotribune.com, 13 Oct. 2021 The Academy president, Bette Davis, quit her post in a huff after the board scoffed at her proposal to move the Oscars from a ballroom to a theatre, give the proceeds to war relief, and present wooden statuettes. Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2022 The uninvited visitor surveyed the room and left in a huff. New York Times, 23 Mar. 2022 Reverge Anselmo, a former U.S. Marine, former novelist, ex-filmmaker, former vintner and guardian of a vast fortune, abandoned his stunning Shasta County estate in 2014 in a huff. Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2022 In other words: Don’t get in a huff about these choices. Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2022 See More
Verb
And in suburban California in the 1990’s, preteen girls like me would pass candy-sweet tubes of Lip Smackers to their crushes to huff during 6th grade social studies. Bon Appétit, 24 May 2022 There's little to huff and puff about on the mostly level ride with some fun ups and downs and no leg burning climbs. Flip Putthoff, Arkansas Online, 21 Dec. 2021 Ecomodernists huff loudly at claims that any kind of economic downshift—planned or unplanned—can result in anything but a drastic deterioration in human welfare. Mary L. Trump, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2021 Ecomodernists huff loudly at claims that any kind of economic downshift—planned or unplanned—can result in anything but a drastic deterioration in human welfare. Mary L. Trump, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2021 Ecomodernists huff loudly at claims that any kind of economic downshift—planned or unplanned—can result in anything but a drastic deterioration in human welfare. Mary L. Trump, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2021 Ecomodernists huff loudly at claims that any kind of economic downshift—planned or unplanned—can result in anything but a drastic deterioration in human welfare. Mary L. Trump, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2021 Ecomodernists huff loudly at claims that any kind of economic downshift—planned or unplanned—can result in anything but a drastic deterioration in human welfare. Mary L. Trump, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2021 Ecomodernists huff loudly at claims that any kind of economic downshift—planned or unplanned—can result in anything but a drastic deterioration in human welfare. Mary L. Trump, The New Republic, 12 Aug. 2021 Noun
Fisher and Kaval staked the A’s future in Oakland to a risky waterfront project with a thousand major hurdles, and now act insulted because those hurdles don’t topple when the owner and his sidekick huff and puff. Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Oct. 2021 No threat of eviction Just beyond the limits of the Durango park, a train slices through the mountain view with a harmonic huff. Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Jan. 2022 Then a few more, closer each time, and finally a loud huff just beyond the nylon walls of the tent. Washington Post, 9 Dec. 2021 Franzen, child of Western Springs, chronicler of contemporary America, Exhibit A of the Great White Male American Novelist (circa 2021), reflexively detested, never arrives on the page now without a huff, a herald or a hand-wringing. Christopher Borrelli, chicagotribune.com, 13 Oct. 2021 The Academy president, Bette Davis, quit her post in a huff after the board scoffed at her proposal to move the Oscars from a ballroom to a theatre, give the proceeds to war relief, and present wooden statuettes. Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2022 The uninvited visitor surveyed the room and left in a huff. New York Times, 23 Mar. 2022 Reverge Anselmo, a former U.S. Marine, former novelist, ex-filmmaker, former vintner and guardian of a vast fortune, abandoned his stunning Shasta County estate in 2014 in a huff. Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2022 In other words: Don’t get in a huff about these choices. Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
imitative
First Known Use
Verb
1583, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun
1684, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing huff
Kids Definition
huff 1 of 2
verb
ˈhəf
huffed; huffing
1
: to give off puffs (as of air or steam)
2
: to do or say in a way that shows anger
He huffed out of the room.
huff
2 of 2noun
: a fit of anger or temper
We argued and she left in a huff.
Medical Definition
huff
transitive verb
ˈhəf
: to inhale (noxious fumes) through the mouth for the euphoric effect produced by the inhalant
also : to inhale the noxious fumes of (a substance) for their euphoric effect
teenagers huffing correction fluid
huffs 1 of 2
noun
1
as in fusses
a state of nervous or irritated concern was in a huff because everyone was running late and the school bus would stop to pick them up in a matter of minutes Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fusses
- sweats
- panics
- flusters
- dithers
- tizzies
- frets
- swelters
- lathers
- stews
- twitters
- pothers
- piques
- alarms
- swivets
- agitations
- deliriums
- dudgeons
- hysterias
- bothers
- alarums
- furors
- ados
- nervous breakdowns
- hand-wringings
- uproars
- distractions
2
as in fits
an outburst or display of excited anger gets all in a huff every time anyone makes the slightest criticism Synonyms & Similar Words
- fits
- rages
- scenes
- explosions
- outbursts
- tantrums
- fireworks
- reactions
- frenzies
- pouts
- seizures
- hissy fits
- furies
- storms
- distractions
- blowups
- upheavals
- rampages
- hissies
- eruptions
- agitations
- sulks
- tempers
- indignations
- deliriums
- hysterias
- snits
- paroxysms
- convulsions
- spasms
- ires
- rises
- furors
- uproars
- furores
- spleens
- wraths
- danders
- cholers
- grouches
- flare-ups
- humps
- lividities
- pets
3
as in angers
the feeling of being offended or resentful after a slight or indignity left the restaurant in a huff after waiting 15 minutes to be seated Synonyms & Similar Words
- angers
- frustrations
- indignations
- resentments
- exasperations
- piques
- irritations
- peeves
- displeasures
- miffs
- outrages
- offences
- sulks
- dudgeons
- pouts
- umbrages
- annoyances
- indignities
- agitations
- offenses
- insults
- ires
- griefs
- discomforts
- upsets
- perturbations
- distresses
- tantrums
- slaps
- danders
- digs
- slurs
- bothers
- slights
- tempers
- disturbances
- barbs
- aggravations
- affronts
- vexations
- pets
- tizzies
- brickbats
- fits
- botherations
- put-downs
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- satisfactions
- delights
- mollifications
- pacifications
- appeasements
- gratifications
- pleasures
- contentments
huffs
2 of 2verb
as in raves
to talk loudly and wildly demanding to speak to the manager, he huffed about the rudeness of the sales assistant Synonyms & Similar Words
- raves
- blusters
- rants
- fulminates
- rages
- spouts
- storms
- blows
- blares
- pontificates
- speaks out
- declaims
- speaks up
- harangues
- bolts
- orates
- sounds off
- bloviates
- takes on
- carries on
- blurts (out)
- mouths (off)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- murmurs
- whispers
- grunts
- mutters
- breathes
- slurs